Railroad-track clearer and flanger



(No Model.)

M. ELLIS.

RAILROAD TRACK GLEARER AND FLANGE R.

No. 308,067. Patented Nov. 18, 1884.

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UNITED STATES ATENT Farce.

MATTHEW ELLIS, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

RAILROAD-TRACK CLEARER AND FLANGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 308,067, dated November18, 1884-.

Application filed February 21, 1884. (No model.) 7

To all whom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, MATTHEW ELLIS, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey, in the State ofMinnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRailroad-Track Clearer and Flanger, of which the following specificationis a full, clear, and exact description, reference being also had to theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a semi-sectional sideelevation, and Fig. 2 is a semi-sectional plan view, of a car, showingmy improved clearer and fianger attached thereto. Fig. 3 is an end viewof the car, showing the clearer and flanger down in working position;and Fig. 4 is a similar View showing the clearer and fianger elevated asit appears when not in use. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detached perspectiveview of one of the steel-flanging-shoes.

A represents a car-frame mounted upon the trucks B and running upon thetrack 0. Hinged or pivoted by its forward end at a to the under side ofthis frame A is a doublesided mold-board or plow, D, similar inconstruction to the cleaners or plows used upon the forward ends oflocomotives to remove snow from'the track, and adapted to be raised andlowered by its rear end,'to alter the distance between the plow and thetrack 0.

E is a lever, pivoted by one end at Z) to the frame A, and adapted to beraised and lowered at its other end by a cam-lever, F, and connected bya rodfc, to the rear of the plow D, by which means the latter may beraised and lowered to any desired extent.

K is a powerful spring attached to the lever E, to hold the plow down toits work, and at the same time allow it to be raised by the lever F whenrequired. Check-chains y will be arranged to connect the plow D with thecar A, in addition to the pivots a, so that in event of the latter beingbroken the chains will still hold the plow in place.

G G are two small cylinders, connected by a tube or tubes, d, with thecompressed-air cylinder of the air-brakes, (which is usually connectedto the locomotive,) or to a sepa rate compressed-air cylinder formed forthat purpose. Each of the cylinders is supplied with a piston andpiston-rod, connected by chains 0 e" to the rear of the plow D, so thatby allowing compressed air to enter the cylinders the plungers will beraised up and elevate the rear of the plow. The compressed air will beunder the control of the engineer in the same manner as the air-brakes.Steam may be used instead of compressed air under some circumstances, ifpreferred; but the ac tion would be the same.

Either or both of the means shown for elevating the plow may be used.The levers E F will be used when the plow is connected to locomotivesupon which the air-brake appliances are not used, or to enable the plowto be operated by either the train-men or the engineer when used inconnection with the compressed air. Only one compressed-air cylinder maybe used, if preferred. Small steel shoes H H will be attached to theloweredges of the plow D, just inside the rails of the track 0, to cutthe-snow and ice away from the rails, to clear the way for the flangesof the wheels of the cars, &c. The car A, carrying this clearer andflanger, will be placed next to the tender, in the rear of thelocomotive, so that if any obstruction is met with the plow will not beliable to throw the locomotive from the track, and will not usuallyeffect any further damage than to break a portion of one car, whereaswhen such devices are used forward of the locomotive great danger existsof throwing the latter, and with it the whole train, from the track, ifany obstruction is met with. WVhen placed in the rear of the locomotive,however, it is less liable to do serious injury in event of an accident.

The car A may be constructed with a frame extending from its rear,beneath which the plow D may be suspended, so that no part of the car isin the rear of the plow; hence if any accident occurs to the plow itwill be merely torn loose from the frame and not affeet the locomotive.

My method of securing the plow D to the frame A by hinging it thereto byits forward end and holding it down by the spring K is also an importantfeature, as the plow thus arranged, when striking any obstruction ormeeting with a stronger resistance from snow and ice than the weight ofthe car or the strength of the spring can overcome, will be thrownbackward and upward, and thus pass over the obstacle and not injure thecar or other parts of the train. Then when the resistance is passed overthe plow will be returned to its work by the spring K.

This apparatus is intended to be used after light snows, or as anauxiliary to follow the large snow plows, to remove the snow and icewhich the latter cannot reach.

Having described my invention and set forth its merits, what I claimis- 1. A railroad-track clearer and flanger consisting of a plow, D,suspended by its forward end from a car in the rear of the locomotive,and means whereby said plow may be raised at its rear end by the actionof a current of compressed air or steam under the control of theengineer of said locomotive.

2. The combination, with the car A, of the plow D, suspended beneath itby its forward 23 MATTHEW ELLIS.

Witnesses:

O. N. Woonwnnn, LOUIS Fnnsnn, Sr.

